Book Review | Stars Above

I usually find novellas less interesting than the series they are companions to, but that is not the case with Stars Above! I loved the stories in this book so much!

The enchantment continues….

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.
—The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The PrincessThe Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century…

I am absolutely in love with these short stories!! So in love! It was so great to get these little glimpses into some of my favorite characters early years. I loved all of them, but the one that I have to say I flipped over was (predictably) the wedding story, “Something Old, Something New.” This was me:

I won’t tell you who is getting married as I don’t want to ruin it for you (you can probably guess anyway).

Another favorite story was Thorne’s, “Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky.” 13 year-old flirty Thorne is adorable. But also sad when you see just what his family is like.

Another favorite was “The Princess and the Guard,” Winter and Jacin’s story, where we see the point in her life where she made the decision not to use her gift and where she received her scars.

I’m usually not a fan of novellas—the characters never seemed as fleshed out as I should like—however, I absolutely loved this book!

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Quotes:

“She might be broken. She might be crazy. But she would not be defeated.” —The Princess and the Guard

If you don’t want to do any heavy lifting, then stop having such impressive muscles.” —Something Old, Something New– Iko to Kinney, which is absolutely hilarious and I totally ship them together.